Local politics in the San Gabriel Valley

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Affordable housing in South El Monte

Don Cook, president of DC Corporation, requested that South El Monte waive $150,324 worth of fees for the senior and affordable housing project, according to an inter-office memo dated March 10. The item is scheduled to appear before the council in the near future, possibly at Tuesday’s council meeting. Here is an exceprt from the memo, written to City Manager Anthony Ybarra by Cook:

“It has already been determined by the Improvement District and Staff that this project could not be built without assistance from the Improvement District, which the District Board has provided. It is inconsistent for the District Board to provide gap financing for the project in order to make the project viable and then have the City require tens of thousands of dollars in fees. I oder to avoid this “Peter to pay Paul” scenarios we request the aboive listed fees be waived by the City. Not only is this logical on its face, it ic consistent with how other cities in the Valley participate in the development of senior and affordable housing,” wrote Cook.

Cook continues, writing that this project has continued to be delayed. In a Triibune article in 2005, DC Corp. unveilved its project plans:

Another mixed-use project on the horizon by developer DC Corp. at Michael Hunt Drive and Peck Road will feature senior housing as well as retail, which includes a drugstore and beauty shop, said Don Cook , vice president of the corporation.

“This is something we’re doing in part with the city, but the city won’t be giving any money,’ Cook said.

DC Corp has also developed homes in Baldwin Park, West Covina and Perris. The South El Monte planning commission first denied the proposed project, claiming that it was too dense, according to a Tribune article.

SOUTH EL MONTE — A town hall meeting Monday night to showcase plans for a retail and housing development turned into a confrontation between the developer and residents.

West Covina-based DCCorporation is looking for City Council approval to build 14 homes, 60 apartment units and 20,000 square feet of retail at 1570 Durfee Ave., behind the 7-Eleven store on Peck Road.

Affordable housing is bad news. Our area in La Puente was safe for children, seniors etc. until the properties across the street from where I live were demolished and affordable housing took over. It changed into the slum area of La Puente. The reason it is called affordable is because anybody can move in and anybody does. Young people that should be in school and or working are making a living selling drugs. Their parents make money renting out rooms and sleeping spaces in their garages for parole violators and illegal immigrants. The front yards of some of these homes have become refuse dumps. And on weekdays the dumps become yard sales. Calling the city officials does no good. Our curbsides have become parking lots. It’s so bad on trash day we put the trashcans in front of the driveway since that is the only open space available.